Loose-leaf ledger.



J. BYSTROM.

' LoosB LEAP LBDGEB. v IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 00T 24, 1906.

933,885. APanama Sept.14,19o9.

g 1Jill mi! N g Willi 3 NU NIED STATES PATENT JOHN BYs'rnoivI, oF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AssICNoR 'ro BAiiEn-ivnv/'IER COMPANY, or*

PORTLAND, MAINE, A CORPORATION.

LOOSE-LEAF LEDGER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 14, 1909.

To all 'whom it may concern.'

Be it known thatl I, JOHN BYsTRoM, a 'citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain newT and useful Improvements in Loose-Leaf Ledgers, of which the following is a specification.

One of the objects of this invention is the production of an improved clamping mechanism for holding the leaves in a loose-leaf ledger.

Another object of the invention is to arrange the parts of the binder so as to produce a binder which is approximately flat-openmg.

A further object is the production of an improved means for holding the movable side clamping-members in proper rela-tion to the stationary portion of the binder.

The invention also has reference to an improved construction of the ends of the side clamping-members adapted to permit of conveniently securing in place the leather covering of the ledger back.

'Ihe invention further refers to an improved construction of the actuating mechanism of the binder, whereby only one length of screw-threaded shaft is needed for all the different sizes of ledger-backs.

The invention also relates to the other and further improvements in loose-leaf ledgers hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a top plan view of a binder for loose-leafl ledgers embodying the features of my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical central section through said binder. Fig. 3 is an end view thereof, and Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on the 'plane of dotted line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

The embodiment herein shown of my invention comprises two side clamping members 1 and 2, each consisting of a side portion 3 and a bottom plate 4 formed of an integral piece of sheet metal. The ends of said side members are closed by overlapping end plates 5, one of which is secured to each end of each side member by means of ears 6 and 7 on said end plates, said ears being riveted to said side members. One edge of each of the end plates 5 is shaped, as indicated at 8,

so as to leave an opening between said end plate and the adjacent portion of the side member. In covering the binder with leather or other covering material, said covering material is tucked into said openings and secured to the side members by gluing or in any other suitable way.

The side members 1 and 2 are mounted upon a back 9 provided with ways 10 at its ends upon which the side members, or more accurately speaking, the ears 7 of the end plates of said side members, slide. 'Ihe side members 1 and 2 are held in proper relation with the back 9, partly by means to be later herein described, and partly by cap plates 11 screwed or otherwise fastened to the ends of the back 9, said plates having fin-turned upper edges 12 adapted to overlie the upper edges of the end plates 5. Y

To the opposing faces of the side members 1 and 2 are secured the leaf-holding posts 13, each of-said posts comprising a pin 14 and a tube 15 attached to opposite side members and arranged to telescope one with the other in the usual manner.

The means for moving the clamping members 1 and 2 toward and away from each other to clamp between them the leaves placed upon the posts 13 comprises two plates 16 and 17. The plate 16 is rela tively short and is made of the same length for all sizes of. binders. The plate 17 is longer, and varies in size with the di'erent sizes of binders, but is always placed at the same distance from the plate y16. In the plate 16 are formed two cam slots 18 arranged at a right angle with each other and converging, in this instance, toward the left. Near the opposite ends of the plate 17 are formed two pairs of cam slots 19 converging toward the right, the slots of each pair extending at a right angle with each other. In the bottom plates 4 of the side members 1 and 2 are fixed headed rivets 2O adapted to travel in said cam slots. The back 9, the side members 1 and 2, and the plates 16 and 17 are held in proper relation to each other by means comprising two studs 21, in this instance formed integral with the back 9, the plate 17 having two elongated openings 22 therein through which said studs project,

each of the slots 22 and is secured to one of the studs 21, in this instance, by screws 25.

F or moving the plates 16 and 17 to cause the rivets 20 to move inwardly or outwardly through the cam slots 18 and 19 I provide a shaft 26 having right and left-hand screwthreads upon its opposite end portions, said shaft having a screw-thiead engagement with a nut or post 27 fixed to each ofthe plates 16 and 17. The plate 16 in all sizes of binders being the saine, and the plate 17 always being placed at the same distance from the plate 16, only one size of screwthreaded shaft is required for the different sizes of binders manufactured. One end of the shaft 26 is made angular for engagement by a key 2S, said key being inserted through an opening 29 formed in the adjacent cap 11 and through elongated openings 30 inthe overlapping end pieces 5. To prevent unauthorized operation of the binder, the opening 29 is arranged to be closed by a cover 31 pivoted upon the outer face of the cap 11, said cover having a locking notch 32 therein adapted to receive the bolt of a lock mechanism 83 fixed to the outer face of the cap 11.

r1`he covers 3ft for the ledger are secured to the binder by means of ears 35, said ears consisting of substantially elliptical sheet metal loops seated in openings 36 in the side members 1 and 2, said loops having shoulders 37 thereon overlying said side members. The

loops 35 are held in place in said openings by y means of two rods 38, each rod passing through all of the loops upon one side of the binder at the inner side of the side member.

In operation the shaft 26 is rotated to move the slotted plates 16 and 17 toward or 1 away from each other and thereby cause a movement of theV side `members '1 and 2 toward or from each other by reason of the cam action of said slotted plates upon the rivets 20. It will be noted that the plate 16 v is near one end of the binder and that the end of the plate 17 engaged by the shaft 26 is near said irst mentioned plate, thereby permitting the employment of a comparatively short shaft.

relatively thin' or low-lying bindei back.` The slots 18 and 19 of each pair of slots being inclined at a right angle with each other, the actuating mechanism is balanced, in Vother words, there is no tendency of the side members 1 and 2 to skew or pull over I The shaft 26 is located above the plates 1.6 and 17 ,between said plates i to one side or the other. The provision of three pairs of cam slots makes the binderY exceedingly rigid; y

I recognize the practicabilityof making various changes in the construction and ar-` rangement of the parts constituting the embodiment here shown and described, thereforeno.undue limitation should be understood from the foregoing detailed description. f

I claim as my invention:

1. In a binder, in combination, two side members; ashort plate and a long plate provided with cam slots, said short plate being located near one end of said side members, and one end of said long plate being rela.- t-ively near said short plate; a screw shaft located at one end of the binder and adapted l to engage said plates; and means attached to said side members and traveling in said slots.

2. In a binder, in combination, two side members;a short plate and a long late provided with cain slots, said short p ate beingV located near one end of said side members, and one end of said long plate being rela tively near said short plate; a nut fixed to each of said slotted plates; a shaft having oppositely screw-threaded end portions lying in said nuts, said shaft being suppo-rted solely by said nuts and being located atenek end of the binder; and means attached to said side members and traveling in said slots.

3. In a binder, in combination, two Vside members; a short plate and a lon plate, said short plate having one pair o cam slots therein, and said long plate having two pairs of cam slots therein, said shortplate being located near one end' of said` side members, and one end of said long plate being rela-V tively near said short plate; Va nut attachedto the upper side of' said short plate; a nut Y attached to the upper side of said lone` plate at the end near the short plate; a shaft having oppositely screw-threaded end portions lying in said nuts, said shaft being supported solely by said nuts; and means attached to said side membersv and traveling in said slots.

4. A binder having openings in one ofits sides, in combination with loops extending into said openings; and a rod extending through said loops for securing them in place in said openings. Y

5. In a binder, in combination, a binder back having an opening in one end thereof;

an operating shaft in said binder vback arranged to be rotated by means of a device inserted through said opening; a pivoted member adapted to close said Opening; and a lock for securing said pivoted member in its operative position. Y

6. In a binder, in combination, a binder back having an opening in one end thereof;

an Operating shaft in said binder back arranged to be rotated by means of a device inserted through said opening; a cover pvoted upon the outer face of one end of the binder back and adapted to close said opening, said cover having a locking notch therein; and a lock mechanism fixed to the end of said binder back and comprising a holt adapted t0 engage said locking notch.

JOHN BYSTROM VVtnesSes:

L. L. MILLER, GEORGE L. CHINDAH'L.- 

